This blog is about our life aboard Yarwood, a 66' Tug style narrowboat launched in Jan 2012.

Saturday, 4 August 2012

The annual teeth fest

Since starting out on this nomadic watery lifestyle I have managed to see a dentist once a year for a check-up and scale and polish (S&P). Fortunately I have few if any issues with my teeth throughout my life maybe because Mother kept us well fed and short of sweets and importantly, well away from NHS dental services of the 1960's where dentists were paid per filling...
Many of my contemporaries ended up with a mouthful of drilled and filled teeth...maybe as a result of poor dental care or maybe as a result of how dentists were paid!

Two years ago when we were in these parts I managed to sign on with a NHS practise in St. Ives and had a check up and S&P. Last year I persuaded a practise in Stourport-on-Severn where we were moored up whilst Yarwood was being built, to provide the same service. The Stourport dental practise only served private patients and were initially reluctant to see me because I could not provide an address in the town. When I explained that this was a commercial transaction i.e. 'you provide a service and I pay for it' they saw the light, or at least the Dentist did if not the receptionist, and I was seen and serviced...
This year I have reacquainted myself with the St. Ives dental practise and yesterday drove over there with Jill for my annual visit/treatment. Following my visit we had to drive out to a village called Warboys, about 8 miles outside St. Ives, for Jill to be seen and treated by some dental specialist. Thereafter we headed back to Downham Market across the fenland countryside, by-passing March and Nordelph and Salters Lode en route.